Archive for Preseason

For those of you that missed it, the Rangers announced their preseason schedule this week. If you’re into meaningless hockey games, played at a half pace, in half empty arenas you’ll be excited. If you get turned on by watching prospects duke it out for a roster spot you’ll be excited. Or, if you’re just glad that hockey is back on the ice, you’ll be delighted.

The Rangers play a pair of games against the Devils, with the Devils visiting the Garden on September 21st, and the Rangers in Jersey on the 26th. The Rangers also play two games against the always pleasant Flyers (22nd and 28th September) and take on the Bruins twice as well (Sept. 24th and 30th).

Expect the regular season schedule next week. Which means I have plenty of advanced notice to schedule my next New York trip…

Per Andrew Gross, Dylan McIlrath, Marek Hrivik, Ryan Haggerty, and Oscar Lindberg did not survive training camp, and have been assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack. All of them had strong camps, but it became a numbers game after a while. All four will get big minutes in Hartford instead of sitting in the press box with the Rangers. It’s also very nice to have injury reserves ready for duty.

Tonight is the preseason finale for the Rangers in New Jersey, as the Rangers take on the Devils. There are still a lot of tough roster decisions to be made, as the team will be trimmed to 22 players on Monday. Kevin Hayes, who was supposed to play tonight, is being replaced in the lineup by J.T. Miller. Hayes is out due to a tweaked shoulder.

In case you need a refresher (click here for all systems posts), Alain Vigneaulthas his guys playing a moderate 1-2-2 forecheck and a strong-side overload in the DZ (man-on-man when the puck is below the goal line). With a lead, AV will back the 1-2-2 forecheck up to the neutral zone, forcing turnovers while keeping five bodies back for defense. As for special teams, the Rangers run a 1-3-1/umbrella hybrid powerplay and a hybrid (diamond/wedge+1) penalty kill).

As for the Devils, Pete DeBoer has the Devils playing a 1-2-2 forecheck which they’ll use aggressively in the offensive zone or passively in the neutral zone as a trap depending on game situation. In the defensive zone, Deboer employs a hybrid overload/zone defensive system depending on whether the puck is along the boards or at mid-ice. On special teams, the Devils employ an umbrella/1-3-1 power play. On the penalty kill, the Devs rotate between a box and a diamond depending on puck location and the setup of the opposition.

Ryan Malone is impressing a lot of people, myself included. We all know he was a solid 20 goal scorer, but after 11 goals over the past two seasons, he looked to be cooked. It’s still early, as Malone is still playing against some guys that will be in the AHL, but his two games have been, if anything, solid games. Let’s keep this part short, and get to the bullet points:

Let’s start with the kids that have made the team: J.T. Miller and Jesper Fast. These two have done nothing but impress.

Anthony Duclair, if not for the odd contract situation, would also be on that list. This kid has been unreal. He won’t continue his 30% shooting rate, but he does so many other things the right way. If it was just offense and a 30% shooting rate, I’d say send him back. But the kid, aside from lapses here and there, is a smart, skilled player. He forces turnovers with his speed, and while he is sometimes out of position in the defensive zone, you take those growing pains.

That said, Duclair really reminds me of Chris Kreider in 2012. We were all enamored by Kreider during that run, but he was shooting at an unsustainable clip (20%) and that was covering up his defensive flaws. Duclair seems to be a step ahead in that regard.

The roster is beginning to take shape, and the competition for those final roster spots is heating up. It feels like there are ten players fighting for a handful of spots, and each performance in the preseason will determine who makes the club and who “dies and gets sent to the minors” (thanks good ole Jake Taylor of the Cleveland Indians).

The Rangers play a moderate 1-2-2 forecheck and a strong-side overload in the DZ (man-on-man when the puck is below the goal line). With a lead, AV will back the 1-2-2 forecheck up to the neutral zone, forcing turnovers while keeping five bodies back for defense. As for special teams, the Rangers run a 1-3-1/umbrella hybrid powerplay and a hybrid (diamond/wedge+1) penalty kill).

Joel Quenneville is one of the best coaches in the game. His Hawks play an aggressive 2-1-2 forecheck, keeping the back forward and defensemen ready to jump on turnovers. In the defensive zone, the Hawks play a standard zone defense looking to defend you in layers based on puck location. On special teams, they run a 1-3-1 power play, and a wedge+1 penalty kill.

Share this:

Martin St. Louis will get a shot at center tomorrow against the Blackhawks, and Anthony Duclair will again be in the lineup. The lineup comprises a good mix of veterans and kids. Exact lines aren’t known at the moment, but here are the players dressing:

It’s amazing how the roles were reversed this game. On Monday the Flyers dressed an AHL squad and looked outmatched by the Rangers. Last night, the Rangers dressed an AHL squad but didn’t look outmatched. That’s a testament to the strong undrafted UFA signings and solid development of the kids. They had a bad second period, but were always in the game. I only got home to catch the second half of the game, but such is life.

The battle for the 7D spot has pretty much been resolved at this point. Dylan McIlrath won’t be sitting in the press box, he will get big minutes with the Wolf Pack. Steven Kampfer and Michael Kostka have been ‘eh’ as well. That leaves Conor Allen and Matt Hunwick. Allen will probably get big minutes with McIlrath in the AHL, leaving Hunwick. He’s been better than Kampfer and Kostka, that’s for sure.

The Rangers are in Philadelphia on the back-end of this home-and-home with the Flyers. Last night the Rangers tore through the Flyers, who dressed an AHL lineup for the most part. This time around the roles are reversed, as the Rangers are dressing the AHL squad. Should be interesting to see how the kids do without NHL talent flanking them.

The Rangers play a moderate 1-2-2 forecheck and a strong-side overload in the DZ (man-on-man when the puck is below the goal line). With a lead, AV will back the 1-2-2 forecheck up to the neutral zone, forcing turnovers while keeping five bodies back for defense. As for special teams, the Rangers run a 1-3-1/umbrella hybrid powerplay and a hybrid (diamond/wedge+1) penalty kill).

Tonight is the preseason debut of Mat Bodie, meaning Tommy Hughes and Petr Zamorsky are the only players yet to appear in a preseason game. AV mentioned that there would be cuts today and tomorrow to get the roster down to 30. Stay tuned for those later on.